How to attract the best talent to your organisation

It is not just the salary and package that attracts people. The interview process is one of the biggest selling tools to potential talent and it gives you the opportunity to present your organization in the best light.

Time spent planning the approach will lead to better recruitment decisions later on. Firstly look at the reason for the vacancy and consider whether you need to look outside the organization or consider people within. Is there a need to look externally when potentially you could grow your own staff? Is it possible to restructure and combine the promotion of an internal candidate and bringing in new talent? It is important to look at the whole team and company structure, culture and strategy before deciding exactly what you need in order to add value.

The next step is to look at the existing recruitment methods in place. Work with the recruitment/HR team and partnering recruitment consultant to ensure you have a clear plan. Set out your requirements and ensure that there is open communication with everyone involved in the process. It is crucial that everyone understands the requirements. The job description is a marketing tool for your organization, it must clearly outline the role responsibilities and provide an overview of the company, team, culture and key relationships. It is also important to highlight the opportunities and career path that the role can offer, and to emphasis any selling points the role offers to potential applicants. Ensure that the budgets have been cleared and timescales are set in advance to avoid problems later on in the process.

When appropriate candidates have been selected and interviews take place it is important to deliver the right message to people. One of the biggest complaints from candidates is lack of feedback and communication. It is vital to consider that delays in decision making and not providing accurate feedback can potentially damage your reputation. Remember that although a candidate may not be suitable at this stage, they may well be in the future. If they walk away unsuccessful but impressed by your company this can lead to referrals and attracting potential talent.

Although decision-making should not be rushed, speed is important and if plans are made at the start it is easier to make decisions once the process has started. Set out realistic timescales for short listing CVs and conducting interviews. If you are successful in finding a suitable candidate, delivering the offer effectively is crucial. Ensure it is competitive and the paperwork involved should be sent out immediately. Delays and uncertainty at this stage will put any potential candidates off and there is a high risk of losing them to their current employer or any competitors.

As a rule the most talented candidates are generally ‘passive’ where they are content in their current role and not actively looking. The assumption is that candidates will move for a better salary but there are a number of softer benefits that can be attractive to them. Career progression, the autonomy a role offers, the opportunity to work with a progressive company with talented individuals often attracts candidates. Flexible benefits such as home working, bonus schemes, share options and health care may also play an important factor.